Star Trekoffered optimism and exploration.
In the process,Battlestar Galacticasuccessfully avoided becoming the 21st centurysStar Trekknock-off.
WhileStar Trekhad countless alien racesincluding Vulcans, Klingons, and Romulans, theBSGuniverse was entirely human-centric.
Humanitys biggest challenge wasn’t alien invaders.
It was confronting the consequences of technological advancements and their own political failures with their human-made Cylon antagonists.
Battlestar Galactica was famous for avoiding aliens on the show.
Custom image by: Yeider Chacon
However, the series' final scene breaks this rule, suggesting a non-human entity.
OnBattlestar Galactica, a greater focus on collaboration and realism trumpedStar Treks more idealistic picture of exploring space.
8Battlestar Galactica Focused On The Morality Of Survival
It Explored Shades Of Gray Vs. Meanwhile,BSGcentered around a completely fractured system of governance.
Custom Image by Yeider Chacon
Star Trekcaptains felt calm, knowing theyd seldom face any discord from their crew or government.
Meanwhile, Adama and Roslin’s leadership constantly teetered on the brink of total collapse.
And that central tension didnt just showcase the differences between the two conflicting races.
That devotion to spiritual guidance didn’t sit well with the devoutly secular Adama.
The same can’t be said for Adama and Roslin.
That brought their flaws to the surface in major ways.
He even relieved his first officer Col. Tigh (Michael Hogan) for questioning the old mans decision.
Of course, she had great reason to believe Baltar was a threat.
No extenuating circumstances were supposed to take precedence over that no.
1 order, even when the lives of Starfleet personnel were at stake.
Commander Adamas decision-making repeatedly landed on choices that prioritized survival over ideology.
Adama and Roslin routinely made gut-punch decisions that blurred the lines between survival and ethics.
Meanwhile,Galacticas humans clearly weren’t free of the prejudices and petty grievances that defined a Starfleet-led Earth.
TheCylons werent just villainous toasters, but three-dimensional beings with motivationsas intricate and conflicted as the humans'.
By treating the Cylons as equals rather than caricatures, BSG created a far more nuanced narrative.
In the season 3 episode The Passage, radiation poisoning during food collection pushed pilots to their limits.
